Head Coach Kevin Stefanski (7.24.23)
Any long-term concern for Amari (Cooper)? Any update on where he is at?
“No real update. Definitely no long-term concern. It should be, – you know – I hesitate to say it’ll be a few days because he’s feeling good. I don’t know.”
Do you expect him to go on the field today?
“He might, but we’ll see – see what he can do.”
Dawand (Jones) back today?
“Also was still showing some symptoms. We’re going to try and see if he can practice, but he’s still sick.”
Anybody else not going to be there?
“Yes. I’ll be there. We’ll see.”
What’s the new addition today as you ramp up a little bit more?
“Yeah, we’ll start adding some situations. We’ll go against each other a little bit at a slower pace until we have pads on. But a lot of this is just getting the tolerance from a muscle standpoint of getting ready for a 17-plus game season. Just making sure that we’re ramping appropriately from a particular standpoint.”
Is Thursday the first day with pads?
“I think we’re Friday, Saturday in pads.”
What are you looking for from JOK (Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah) this year?
“I think he’s – health, wanting to be healthy and strong, and I think he’s come back in really, really good shape. He looks strong. I think being able to stay on the field, which is so important, as everybody knows. Availability is key, and he’s been a little unlucky in that realm, so really taking care of his body. I know he’s got a new number, but it’s a little bit of that mindset change too of making sure that he’s doing everything in his power to help this team in any way he can.”
Over the years, we’ve asked you pretty much every year about, like, David Njoku, who’s growing year by year. I guess my question this year is, what’s the next level for his game?
“I think I would hope there’s a next level for everybody’s game. With David in particular, I think he’s taken great strides in his run blocking, pass blocking. He’s up there with the best of them in that world. We know what he is as a pass receiver just from a physical standpoint, the way he can run and catch. I think it’s just really a growth in every single area of offensive football. He’s certainly up for it. It’s another thing of staying healthy and he’s, as you know, a warrior. He plays through a lot of injuries, so staying healthy and continuing to grow really in every area.”
You have Dalvin Tomlinson. What have you learned about him on and off the field since he’s been around?
“He’s a pro, really fits in well with our guys. A very, very conscientious person, very intelligent, and likes to work. So you watch him in his individual drills and out here in practice, he doesn’t shy away from the work at all. So, I just think he fits right into who we are.”
How important do you think that veteran presence is at that spot?
“I think veteran presence is important really at every spot. If you can get it defensively up front, have some younger guys, have some older guys, certainly in that group. But having a guy that’s been through some battles, so to speak, I think is great.”
Kevin, when you look at Grant (Delpit) and you think back to losing that entire rookie season, looking back on it now, do you feel like maybe that kind of set him back and he’s maybe still trying to catch up?
“Honestly, I think we’re so far past that. He’s so far past that first season and that injury. He continues to make great strides. I think he’s a really good football player. I know Jim (Schwartz) and the defensive staff are excited about what Grant can do on our defense, but I think he’s doing everything exactly how we’re asking him to do. He’s an older player now as he graduates into this season where he can provide leadership as well.”
How has Anthony Walker, (Sione) Takitaki and Jakeem Grant responded? Are they on a pathway to be in pads Friday?
“I think each guy – I’ll update you as we get closer to that, Tony – but I think each guy’s come along really well and they’re at different stages of returning from totally different injuries. But all those guys are – just watching yesterday, watching them move around I think they’re progressing nicely.”
Kevin, we have the Haslams later this afternoon. What have they articulated to you about what the expectations are for this season and their support of you?
“Dee and Jimmy and the whole family have been so supportive of me, of our coaching staff, of our group really from day one, and as a testament is us being down here together. They’re super supportive, very involved down here, which is great because we’re all staying under one roof so we can attend meetings and get involved and out here practice. So they’ve been great as far as expectations go on those different things. Mary Kay (Cabot) we really just focus on what’s in front of us, and really that’s today.”
Is the way Jim going to use the linebackers vastly different from what we’ve seen in the last couple of years?
“I wouldn’t say vastly different. I think there are some obvious technique changes, but it’s still in essence, a four-down front, one-gap defense. We’ll play certain run types and pass types differently, as you can imagine. And then it’s just a matter of in-game, what matchups Jim wants to go to, how much nickel he wants to play, how much dime he wants to play, obviously, how much base are you going to play based on what the other team is doing, that will be really matchup and game plan oriented.”
Whatever ownership’s expectations are for this season, how are you dealing with the prospect of meeting them?
“No. We know there are 32 clubs, and 32 clubs have the same goal every single year. That doesn’t change. But for us, it’s really easy in terms of what we do, is just keep the blinders on and focus on what’s in front of us.”
Kevin, Nick (Chubb) talked yesterday about jumping on a Zoom with some other running backs around the league, about their market value. What went through your mind when you heard that? Have you seen anything like that in your career of players across the league having conversations in that regard?
“I can’t recall a similar example. We talked a little bit yesterday about Nick, and I understand what’s going on and I understand how he feels and certainly how the running backs feel in this regard. But all I can do and we can do is continue to support Nick. And he’s a huge part of what we do. He’s a huge part of who we are.”
Kevin, when we talked to Deshaun (Watson) yesterday, he mentioned that he had his opportunity to do the four H exercise in front of the team. What effect do think that can have? His story in the locker room, considering everything that he went through in the last year and the expectation that he has to lead this football team?
“I look at it really for all of our players that have an opportunity to do that is really just letting your teammates know you from a different angle. We don’t often sit down and, ‘Okay, where are you from? What do you do? What are you about? Who are the people that have made a meaningful impact in your life?’ It’s just an opportunity for our guys to slow down and do that. And Deshaun, as a leader of the football team, I think it’s important for everybody to know kind of where he is and what’s on his mind.”
So this is the second year you don’t have a second kicker. What are the benefits to Cade York being unchallenged?
“Well, I think with Cade, and he is going into his second year, he’s going to get every rep and that’s so important for young players. He competes against himself every day. I know you could say that he’s not being challenged, but I think all of us if we’re doing our job correctly, you’re competing every day.”
When we talked to Jason Tarver about JOK, he seems to mention how good his instincts are, but sometimes he has to kind of rein him in because he reacts too quickly. Do you notice that? Do you see him getting better doing that?
“I mean, that’s kind of JOK. That’s who he is as a player. Each one of our players plays the position a little bit differently. He certainly can be aggressive at times. And you see that from many linebackers over the years that go and hit the back door of a run play and make the play. And then as you know, if you don’t make that play, there’s a chance that you can get hurt in that run play for instance. So it’s just a matter of managing when you can take those chances. But we want JOK to be aggressive. As you know, when he’s played really well, he’s flying across the field playing 53 and a third yards of defense.”
Are you happy where he is bulk-wise compared to previous years?
“He came back right where we wanted him to. So he did a good job.”
Kevin, do you articulate to the players what your season goals are? I know every team goes into the season hoping to win the Super Bowl. Do you guys talk Super Bowl starting now, or what do you tell them about what the expectations are?
“Yeah, I mean we do talk a lot, Mary Kay, but we talk a lot internally and we think externally. We just make sure that everyone knows that we’re here to focus on our job. But it’s something that I promise you, all 32 clubs sit in a meeting as training camp starts and they talk about winning the Super Bowl. That’s what you do. It’s the prize of our profession, but we roll it back and really talk about what can we do to get there, and that’s where we really focus on the work at hand.”
Kevin, how much did these early days of training camp have value in terms of maybe mixing things up, getting guys in different positions and trying things out? Is that something that you value now, or is that something that comes later on?
“I think it probably comes a little bit later on. I think early in training camp, you’re in your installation schedule, so you’re going back to the beginning and making sure that offense, defense, and special teams are installing your schemes. That usually takes about ten days. Once you’re through that, then you may start. ‘Okay, remember, guys, we installed this play. Let’s try it this way. Let’s use a different route combination over here. Let’s put this player at a different position this time.’ But before you get there, I think you just got to get through the installation schedule.”
Is that something that the guys are excited about once they get that and you can start trying new things?
“Well it is, and it prepares them for the season because that’s what you do when you get to week one. Oftentimes you’re taking that first or second or third install and you’re saying, ‘Okay, we’re going to run those plays, but here’s the wrinkle off of it defensively. We’re going to run this pressure, but we’re going to use these players to do it now.'”
Cedric (Tillman), how much more is he getting in terms of reps with Marquise (Goodwin) out? And where have you seen growth from him from May to now?
“It’s early in terms of reps, obviously, with Marquise out, that opens up reps for a bunch of different players. But Cedric’s done a nice job going back through the spring. He’s very diligent, works hard at it, spends a lot of time at his craft. He’s up very, very early, and gets extra work with Dorian (Thompson-Robinson) I know because he wants to get it right, so he’s a young man that’s doing it the right way and it’s just going to be a matter of banking as many reps as possible.”
What have you thought of Dorian so far?
“He’s done a nice job. He’s in a really good room to learn with Deshaun, with Josh (Dobbs), with Kellen (Mond), those are consummate pros that really grind on the tape in the meeting room. He has great examples of how to be a pro in this league, so he’s fitting in just fine. Again, he’ll get a ton of reps. We talked about the preseason, your young players are going to get a ton of reps. So he’ll be able to bank a ton of reps as we get going.”
What have you seen from Elijah (Moore) so far? Just from OTAs and minicamps here now. You’re excited about him?
“Speaking of taking your craft seriously, he practices hard. His practice tempo, how he is in walkthroughs – he takes it very seriously, which is great. It’s fun to be around a guy that really works at it. And then he’s taken the bit on everything we’ve asked him to do, of trying to make sure we move him around the formation, trying to use things that we know he’s done well in his past and also challenge him with some new things. But a very, very locked in player.”
We talked about the playbook and stuff like that, with Elijah is it a stretch to say that you can expand the playbook because of his skill set that you just didn’t have before?
“We love versatility, and that versatility in players in of itself expands your playbook as you have players that can do more of every job. To have a player that can play outside and inside I think is really valuable. One position players in this league are probably not as common as they have been. I think you’re always looking for players that can do more.”
Njoku came into the league, I think he was like 20, something like that. What have you seen over that time?
“Oh my God, with David? Unbelievable growth from a personal level and like you mentioned Terry (Pluto), I was not here when he was drafted, but a very young man and just my relationship with him over the years has been awesome. He’s grown up a lot, he’s matured.”
How does it show?
“I think I would let him speak to it but you’d see a player that whether on the practice field, in the meeting rooms, in-game, what we asked him to do he’s become a very selfless player. And his leadership is the thing that has been so impressive to me. Again, the past is the past. But this was somebody that I think in 2020, to where he’s come from now. I’m just really proud of him. And it’s nothing that I’ve done. It’s just what he’s done to grow as a person.”
Takitaki had his ACL surgery in December. It used to be a twelve-month [recovery], then it became ten months. Is it now considered eight months?
“It’s certainly accelerated from the old – It took a year, it took me two years. But he’s coming along. He has worked so hard. I mentioned the other day, and I’m not kidding, he’s lived in the facility. When he gets the final go and he’s going – when exactly that is, I can’t tell you. But it’s certainly a testament to the work that he’s put in that he’s put himself in this position.”
Have the medical people said anything like this is unusually fast?
“No, I don’t think so. I think he’s doing everything. I mean, we’re not playing a game tomorrow, but I think he’s doing everything to set himself up to be ready week one.”
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